Something Old, Something New... Nothing Borrowed but Something Blue?

Last Light, Finished

 Something Old? That is me. The New is a new quilt I'm working on and it has something Blue in it. It occurred to me that I never showed you the finished quilt from the last time I blogged - well here it is. This is strip applique - it is NOT pieced. (Instant gratification for those of us who don't love the whole piecing part of quilt making!)

Incidentally, this is a project choice for one of my classes - it seems to be the hottest class right now probably because you can play with so much color and get a pretty complicated landscape done in a day. (This is an easier project...)

And here is the back side. I scribble stitched the 'skyline' and used a back and forth somewhat scribbly movement when I free motion quilted the trees. It's hard to describe some sorts of free motion quilting isn't it?

The back side of Last Light

 And here is a detail shot - 

Detail of the back side of Last  Light

 On to the new quilt - you can see my sketch below and where I started. This quilt will be a bigger size and I'm appliqueing strips, not piecing them. I started off designing on an old card table so I can press/baste strips in place using Pellon EK 130 as a foundation.

*Insert Shameless Plug*

(You can read about this technique in my book - Lovely Landscape Quilts).

Living Water - the beginning design

 I originally made the detailed design I'm following for a commission in a nursing home. They didn't like it or didn't want to pay me enough to make it, so I never did. I liked the design and colors though. When I made the design, each square on the graph paper was 2 inches so this quilt would have filled a wall above a doorway  - it would have been 90 x  48 inches; a huge quilt for me! 

As I'm making it for me now, each square on paper will be about 1 inch in fabric... except some times my quilts get away from me, so it will be a bit bigger and taller than my sketched picture.

As you can see, I've moved my design over to a design wall so I can see what I'm doing over a larger space and make the color flow across the different triptych panels.

Living Water, still in design phase

 I kept trying to tone down my colors, but I just couldn't. First in order to tone down color, you have to have toned down colors in your stash. I don't. (I wonder why? Could it be because I really like vibrant color!?) 

My original idea was a fall scene, at sunset when the ferns had turned to gold and there were just a few leaves left on the trees. I'm now rethinking that idea, lol. 

Living Water, rough draft of the first 2 triptych panels

 I purposely toned down the sky by using a smokey dusky blue strip extensively - like every other strip or so. I'm hoping that it will make the brighter clear colors in the sunset/sunrise pop more. Also, my camera has a horrible 'white balance' so those couple of strips of orange aren't as bold as the photograph here shows.

Anyway, I'm back to having fun with colors and quilting again. It has been a long time for me as I got this new dog and we are walking nearly 4 miles a day. Plus 2 of my kids are back home so I'm busier than usual. 

I wanted a 'life style' change so when a breeder was downsizing her operation of my favorite breed of dog and she uploaded a couple of her young dogs, I seized the day and bought one.  I'm nearly 60 now and hopefully hubby will be retiring in 3 years. We love hiking and camping but you know how sedentary quilt making is. We sit on our butts all day long...  Here is my 'lifestyle' changer.

Mischief

The breeder had named her Spirit, but somehow Mischief fits her better. She is a Belgian Tervuren; a herding dog from Belgium. She's named after a bar... the original breeder owned a tavern. Tavern - Tervuren. 

On my walks a couple of months ago in early Spring - yes she is on a leash!

Mischief in the Grass with Tulips. (Cue Beatles music, lol.)

We are so blessed to have a state park 10 minutes away from our house - it is a wonderful hilly park with lots of fun trails.

~Back to Quilts~

I have some neat quilts to show you from the Paducah quilt show and the Minnesota quilt show this year. 

Hopeless by Janneke de Vries-Bodzinga

 I wish I knew more about this quilt! It is gorgeously done. Here is a detail shot for you - 

Detail, Hopeless by Janneke de Vries-Bodzinga

Advance to Tomorrow by Miyoko Watanabe

She made it for victims of an earthquake in her home town of Kobe, it is her wish for a bright future for them. 

Leslie Johnson's "The Serene Woodland"

 Isn't this lovely? She was inspired by Pat Durbin's techniques and a class she took with her.

Approaching Storm  by Leah Gravells

 Strips and more strips! Gotta love it! 

Spring in February by Inger C. Blood

 Isn't this pretty? And look at the exquisite quilting. This quilt was painted after the quilting was done and is an original design.

Detail, Spring in February by Inger C. Blood

Suzanne Marshall's "Along the Silk Road"

 The birds were inspired by 7th and 8th century silk fragments. 

Shining Wind by Chizuko Okamoto

 She was inspired by Monet's paintings of water lilles and wanted to capture light and wind. I'm sorry the image is so messed up, it was one of those quilts hanging on a side wall so I couldn't get a picture of it straight on.  Here is a detail shot for you - once again, look how she used strips. 

Detail, Shining Wind by Chizuko Okamoto

 I taught for a week or so in Minnesota last month, 3 classes of which were at the big Minnesota Quilter's Show in St. Cloud. (A great show!) Here are a couple of quilts from this show that I think you'll really like.

Night Hawk pieced by Claudia Myers and quilted by Marilyn Badgers

 Their quilts are usually so vivid and bold in colors, I was surprised by the subtle colors in this one. I love it! This quilt began with an idea of a paper pieced clam shell pattern... wow, did it evolve into something special.  Here are a couple of detail shots - 

Detail, Night Hawk pieced by Claudia Myers and quilted by Marilyn Badgers

Detail, Night Hawk pieced by Claudia Myers and quilted by Marilyn Badgers

 The last quilt I'm showing you today is a landscape - 

Joanne Baeth's "The End of the Line"

All the little details she added are wonderful.

Well, that is it for me today, I'm back to my sewing room.
(Don't know how much I'll get done today on my latest quilt because I haven't walked my dog yet, lol.)

I hope you all have wonderful quilting adventures and as always, comments are welcome.